Call it a casserole and its relegated to the 50s
but call it a "strata" or a "bake" or a "pie" and suddenly its new again. Everyone has one of
their mom's recipes in their head, whether they hated it or loved it. Casseroles rock because they can be assembled and baked
unmonitored. The traditional formula is simple: ingredients in a glass dish heated in the oven. The outcome is especially
good for sharing at parties or for making on the weekend and enjoying all week. What could use a little healthy push is the
choice of items that go into the dish. Your mom used cans of soup, high carb pasta and maybe some corn flakes on top but
we can do better. Switch it up with these healthier, more updated substitutions to any casserole recipe:

Every casserole has the same formula: Body of protein, heart of creamy and moist and
topping of crisp. With a little imagination, you can update old favorites without making a dent in the flavour. Mix and match
as you please and serve with a great big salad and everyone is happy.

THERESA ALBERT, DHN, RNCP, is a registered nutritional
consulting practitioner with a busy private practice in Toronto. Her new book Ace Your Health: 52 Ways to Stack Your
Deck (McClelland & Stewart) is a fun, practical guide to making healthy, weekly changes for improved health
using morsels of information and tasty, healthy recipes. Her television show "Just One Bite" aired on the Food Network
for over two years in a daily time slot and introduced her energetic style to millions. She is also the author of Cook
Once a Week, Eat Well Every Day. Theresa is a recognizable news media and online face as a resource for consumers and
marketers who seek to remove the bologna from their lunchboxes and their news. She prepares a free weekly newsletter
to make you laugh, eat well and be inspired www.myfriendinfood.com